< The victories October 10, 1943, 18th victory o

Exemple : P-47 61st FSEx

P-47 Thunderbolt

 

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The mission of the USAAF
COMBAT CHRONOLOGY OF THE US ARMY AIR FORCES

SUNDAY, 10 OCTOBER 1943

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS :
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force) :

VIII Bomber Command Mission 114 :
236 of 274 B-17's hit the railroads and waterways in and around Munster, Germany at 1503-1518 hours plus targets of opportunity at Coesfeld, Germany and Enschede Airfield in the Netherlands; they claim 183-21-51 Luftwaffe aircraft; 30 B-17's are lost, 3 damaged beyond repair and 102 damaged; casualties are 2 KIA, 18 WIA and 306 MIA.

39 B-24's fly a diversion without loss or casualties.

The B-17's are escorted by 216 P-47's; they claim 19-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-47 is lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 1 damaged; casualties are 1 MIA.

The target, MUNSTER, of mission #114 corresponds well to the geographic description which gives KNOKE.
He add that bombers are accompanied with P-47.
The square HQ - 6 that indicates KNOKE for this victory is situated in the North of Munster.
The hour of this victory 15.27 (source article "Heinz KNOKE" in review REVI+) is compatible with those of the report USAAF. This report declaring the loss only of single P-47 this day there is a possibility that Lt. Fred D Olson was the victim of KNOKE.
KNOKE is not the only one to claim P-47 this day because his team member FUHRMANN demands one of it. This victory was confirmed to FUHRMANN ? 2 other P-47 are declared damaged beyond repair. It is necessary to conclude from it that one of two P-47 claimed managed to join England !
KNOKE saw exploding his P-47 what tends to prove that the victory is indisputable...
But,
Hypothesis (with one if): KNOKE blows up the supplementary reservoir of P-47 (who would not have yet released it by dashing in pursuit of the Me 110, easy prey). P-47, renowned for its solidity, would have been capable for resisting to the explosion ? This external, almost empty reservoir at this moment, will have certainly broken loose, after a spectacular explosion but not powerful enough to be fatal. That is not impossible... But only God knows it :-)

Still to be found the exact crash location of P-47.

P-47 declared lost on October 10, 1943 (current result of my works) :

Source : 352nd Fighter Group "The Bluenosed Bastards of Bodney" 328th Fighter Squadron: Code PE

Serial

 type

Squadron

 code

Lost on

 reason

mission

pilot

42-8635

P-47D-5-RE

328 FS 352 FG

PE

October 10, 1943

?

?

Lt. Fred D Olson MACR 851

The report USAAF of the mission #114 declares only one P-47 lost on October 10, 1943. This table is complete

Description of this victory by Heinz Knoke and different information :

Heinz Knoke Informations

Personal comments

 Source

 I flew for the f... page 123

 Date

October 10, 1943

Type of claimed plane

P-47 Thunderbolt

15.27 (Source REVI+)

Place of the interception

 Over Münster, the city is on fire.

Bombing is in progress

 Crash Location

 Round Münster

Square HQ-6

Presumed mission USAAF

Bombing Münster

 Presumed route USAAF

 Schedule

 

Marx's takeoff

Weather report

Knoke's Unit

  II./JG11 5./JG11

Description of the fight

 KNOKE is leader of the squadron. He is going to dive on bombers when P-47 intercepts 5. / JG11.
During " dogfight " with P-47 KNOKE flight to aid of one Me 110 of the ZG 76. It is during this intervention that KNOKE fires at one of P-47 in pursuit of the Me 110.

 Detail 1

In the first burst P-47 explodes

A sure victory.

 Detail 2

Knoke does not mention a parachute.

The pilot probably did not survive.

 Detail 3

Knoke observed the attack of one Me 110 of the ZG76. This last one fired a salvo of 4 rockets which blew up 2 Fortresses. While by intervening to protect this reckless winner of P-47 which want to take revenge that KNOKE fires at his victim.

Maybe exists testimonies, American (pilots of P-47 or crews of B-17) or German (ZG76), describing the explosion of B-17 then the escape of the Me 110.

Me Bf 110 of the ZG76 equipped with 4 rockets and with 2 30mm ? under belly, employed to break Boxes. KNOKE gives evidence that if the 110 was effective, he became then a very vulnerable prey for the escort...

Me Bf 110 du ZG 76

 Detail 4

Two of his team members accompanied him to aid of the Me 110. BARRAN and FUHRMANN. FUHRMANN declares to have shot down another P-47.

BARRAN and FUHRMANN's testimonies would be interesting!
2 P-47 are so claimed while there was only one who fell... + 2 damaged beyond repair.

 Detail 5

Another P-47 damages KNOKE's 109. After a vertiginous dive, got back by magic, KNOKE is going to crash his plane to Twente.
The pilot of a FW 190 was killed in landing and burns in the wreck of his plane.
Then the airfield is bombarded.

In the report above it is mentioned Enschede's airfield among targets of opportunity. Other airfields had to serve of "secondary" targets for B-17 in lack of objective.

What I still look for :

 The plan of painting of P-47D-5-RE Serial 42-8635 of 352 FG / 328 FS  
 Photo(s) of P-47D-5-RE Serial 42-8635 of 352 FG / 328 FS  
 Crash Location of P-47D-5-RE Serial 42-8635 of 352 FG / 328 FS  
 Photo(s) of Lt. Fred D Olson  
 The contents of the MACR 851  
 The ratification of the victory on P-47 for FUHRMANN  
 Testimonies from actors, B-17, P-47, Bf 110 du ZG 76, JG11.  
 The exact geographic location of Twente's airfield, near Enshede. Which is the Dutch name of this village ?  

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